Soumya murder case: Kerala HC confirms death sentence on accused

December 17, 2013

Soumya_murder

Kochi, Dec 17: Kerala High Court today confirmed the death sentence awarded to Govindachamy by a Fast Track Court for brutally raping and causing the death of a 23-year-old woman after pushing her out of a moving train on February 1, 2008.

A division bench, comprising justices T Ramachandran Nair and B Kemal Pasha upheld the death sentence awarded by the FTC at Thrissur in November that year, saying "there is absolutely nothing to interfere in this case."

The bench also criticised the 'lukewarm' response of Indian Railways and the attitude of fellow passengers of the victim, who was returning home to Shornur from her workplace at Ernakulam, when the incident took place.

Pointing out there is no safety in ladies' compartments. the bench said that even after the incident, the compartment was at the rear end of the train.

The judges suggested the ladies compartment be placed in the middle section and two women guards be posted.

The bench held that the attitude of the fellow passengers was 'disgustful'. Had they offered a helping hand, this untoward incident could have been avoided.

It said there is need to create awareness among the public to rise to the occasion.Inaction of fellow passengers was more painful than the brutal action of the accused, the judges observed.

The prosecution case was that Gonvidachamy had pushed Soumya out of the compartment of the Ernakulam-Shornoor passenger train on Feb 1 after first trying to rob her. He then raped the seriously injured woman, who died on Feb 6.

The prosecution also pointed out that Govindachamy, a native of Tamil Nadu, had already been convicted in eight cases in that state.

The FTC had held the brutal rape was one of the reasons for the victim's death and that the nature of the crime was savage and had shocked society.

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News Network
March 18,2020

Jaipur, Mar 18: Initially buried as per Islamic traditions, an unidentified man's body was exhumed and later cremated after he was found to be a Hindu in Rajasthan's Tonk district, police said.

The family members identified the body of Mahaveer Sahu on Tuesday, a day after the burial, as they stumbled upon photos of the deceased that had circulated on social media.

The man was brought to a government hospital by locals in an unconscious state on March 12 and he died on March 13, according to Purani Tonk police station SHO Shivlal.

The man was said to be a liquor addict and was found unconscious on the road, he added.

The body was kept at the mortuary for three days awaiting identification. Despite efforts to trace the next of kin, the identity could not be ascertained and members of Hindu and Muslim communities were brought in to take a decision, Shivlal said.

The community leaders presumed that he was a Muslim after examining the body and the burial took place as per Islamic funeral traditions on Monday, he added.

Meanwhile, Sahu's family members saw the photo of his body that had circulated on a WhatsAapp group and identified him later that day. They rushed to the hospital and then to the police station in the night where they were informed that the body had been buried.

“The body was exhumed with permission from the sub-divisional magistrate on Tuesday and handed over to the family members after proper identification. Members of the Muslim community led by an Imam were also present and gave in writing that they have no objection,” Shivlal said.

The body was later cremated by his family members.

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Agencies
February 11,2020

Mumbai, Feb 11: A 65-year-old woman was allegedly killed by her husband over debt and illness in suburban Powai here, police said on Tuesday.

The incident came to light when Sheela Ajit Lad was found dead by her neighbours at Sukh Shanti Co-operative Society at around 9.30 pm on Monday, an official said.

The victim was allegedly killed by her husband Ajit Lad, who hit her on the head with a heavy object, slit her wrists and strangled her to death, he said.

The accused absconded at around 7.30 pm, leaving a note at the crime scene, saying he was going to commit suicide and had killed his wife because he was heavily in debt and she was suffering from an ailment, the official said.

The childless couple lived alone in the apartment, he added.

"On the basis of the note, we have registered a case of murder against Ajit Lad and have launched a manhunt for him. We have not traced him or found his body as he had mentioned suicide in the note," deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Zone X Ankit Goyal said.

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Agencies
February 16,2020

Five Bajrang Dal activists have been arrested for allegedly indulging in vandalism in the city on Valentines Day, police said.

They said about 10 to 15 activists on two wheelers vandalised a shop in Kattupalli area in Hyderabad on February 14.

They held aloft flags and raised slogans against celebration of Valentines Day and "created havoc" at different malls, a police press release said.

On receiving information, police rushed to a mall, but the Bajrang Dal activists escaped from the spot.

Five of them were later identified with the help of CCTV footage and arrested, police said.

The others too have been identified and efforts were on to nab them, police said.

Two cases have been registered against them under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code on a complaint from shop owners, the release said.

 

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